PDA

View Full Version : Japanese Yokai Spirits as Base Classes [PEACH]



Prometheus
2007-12-12, 08:04 PM
I plan on making a bunch of them for this campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3649554), so keep posted and I may have more to come.

The Oni (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oni_%28Japanese_folklore%29):

Alignment: Any nongood, nonlawful
Hit Dice: d12
Class Skills: The Oni’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), and Swim (Str).
Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier
{table=head]Level|Base Attack Bonus|Fort Save|Ref Save|Will Save|Ability Increase|Special

1st|
+0|
+2|
+0|
+0|
+1 Str|cause fear 1/day

2nd|
+1|
+3|
+0|
+0|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath

3rd|
+2|
+3|
+1|
+1|
+1 Con|Dark Blessing

4th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+1 Str|+1 Natural Armor

5th|
+3|
+4|
+1|
+1|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath

6th|
+4|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+1 Con|cause fear 2/day

7th|
+5|
+5|
+2|
+2|
+1 Str|Spit Copper (2d6+1d6 fire)

8th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+2|
+2|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath, +1 Natural Armor

9th|
+6/+1|
+6|
+3|
+3|
+1 Con|Aura of Despair

10th|
+7/+2|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+1 Str|cause fear 3/day

11th|
+8/+3|
+7|
+3|
+3|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath, Spit Copper (2d6+2d6 fire) 2/day

12th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|
+1 Con|+1 Natural Armor

13th|
+9/+4|
+8|
+4|
+4|
+1 Str|Accelerated Regeneration

14th|
+10/+5|
+9|
+4|
+4|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath, Spit Copper (2d6+3d6 fire) 3/day

15th|
+11/+6/+1|
+9|
+5|
+5|
+1 Con|cause fear 4/day

16th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|
+1 Str|+1 Natural Armor

17th|
+12/+7/+2|
+10|
+5|
+5|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath

18th|
+13/+8/+3|
+11|
+6|
+6|
+1 Con|Spit Copper (2d6+4d6 fire) 4/day

19th|
+14/+9/+4|
+11|
+6|
+6|
+1 Str|cause fear 5/day

20th|
+15/+10/+5|
+12|
+6|
+6|
+1 Str|Monstrous Wrath, +1 Natural Armor[/table]
Class Features:
Weapon and Armor Proficiency:
An Oni is proficient with all simple weapons, light armor and hide armor.
Monstrous Wrath: At 2nd level, and every third level therafter, an Oni may choose one of the following abilities. He benefits of the Oni's Monstrous Wrath apply only when he wears hide armor, light armor, or no armor. Otherwise he loses all benefits of Monstrous Wrath.
Great Swing: as the War Hulk (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20030914a) ability (scroll down to War Hulk)
Mighty Swing (requirement: Great Swing): as the War Hulk (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20030914a) ability
Massive Swing (requirement Mighty Swing, Large Size): as the War Hulk (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20030914a) ability 1/day.
Increase Size: You do not gain any ability score or natural armor increases as a result, but you are treated as one size category larger for the purposes of space, reach, weapon damage, and size modifiers. In addition to only increasing one size larger, the following level requirements must be met: to Large (8th level), to Huge (14th level), to Gargantuan (23th HD epic), to Colossal (29ht HD epic). Monstrous Hit Die count for as Oni levels for the purposes of meeting level requirements for size.
Gore Attack: You grow a set of large curved horns. You gain a gore attack as a proficient secondary natural attack with 1d6 damage + 1/2 Str bonus for a Medium creature.
Powerful Charge (requirement Gore Attack, Large Size): As the Powerful Charge ability of a Minotaur (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/minotaur.htm). When used in a Powerful Charge ability, the attack deals damage as if the gore attack was two categories higher, dealing 3d6 + 1 1/2 Str bonus damage for a Large creature.
Bite Attack: Your mouth gets larger and your teeth sharper. You gain a bite attack as a proficient secondary natural attack with a base of 1d6 damage +1/2 Str bonus.
Improved Grab (requirement Bite Attack, Large Size): As the Improved Grab (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#improvedGrab) special ability, you use this ability you must hit with your bite attack.
Trample (requirement Huge Size): As the Trample (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#trample) special ability. This deals 3d6+1 1/2 Str damage for a huge creature and the DC is Str based.
Smite Good (requirement evil alignment): As a Blackguard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/blackguard.htm) of equivalent level (and as many times per day).
Bonus Feat: Any fighter bonus feat (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#fighterBonusFeats) or any monstrous feat (http://www.d20srd.org/indexes/monsterFeats.htm).
Cause Fear: A spell-like ability as the spell cause fear (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/causeFear.htm). The caster level is the same as the oni level, and the DC is Charisma based.
Dark Blessing: As the blackguard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/blackguard.htm) ability.
Spit Copper: An Oni can make a ranged touch attack with a range increment of 5ft and that deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage and increasing fire damage. This damage does not increase with size. If the Oni has the base attack bonus, he may make multiple such attacks, provided that they take the appropriate penalty for multiple attacks.
Aura of Despair: As the blackguard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/prestigeClasses/blackguard.htm) ability.
Accelerated Regeneration: As a ring of regeneration (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rings.htm#regeneration) (does not stack).
Epic Levels: Continues to receive ability bonuses every level, natural armor bonus every fourth level, Monstrous Wrath every third level, smite good an additional time per day every five levels. You may want to include epic feats, epic special abilities.

brian c
2007-12-12, 08:26 PM
So... it's a melee class with 1/2 BAB? I dunno about that. The abilities seem a bit scattered too; why the HD requirement for increasing size?

Prometheus
2007-12-12, 08:36 PM
So... it's a melee class with 1/2 BAB? I dunno about that. The abilities seem a bit scattered too; why the HD requirement for increasing size?
Here's my rationale, you tell me if it makes sense:

The Warhulk has no BAB, and higher ability score increases, this somewhat based on it but designed to balance it out. Like a monster, it represents a savage strength rather than any expertise. If it feels a need for more attacks, than they can take the form of Gore and Bite attack.

The HD requirement was mostly so that a PC wouldn't get any larger than Huge unless they were epic. This increases their reach, but also their weapon and natural attack damage. Finally, some of the abilities are based on size, so it is a way of making sure that the Oni is well rounded.

As for the scattered abilities, that is unfortunate. If I've figured things right, the class would be two powerful if it got the abilities any more frequently. If I could find a way to split it up into more moderate abilities that would be ideal, but as of right now I don't know a good way to go about it. My hope is that they will take some interesting feats to kind of keep their attention going.

brian c
2007-12-12, 08:48 PM
Here's my rationale, you tell me if it makes sense:

The Warhulk has no BAB, and higher ability score increases, this somewhat based on it but designed to balance it out. Like a monster, it represents a savage strength rather than any expertise. If it feels a need for more attacks, than they can take the form of Gore and Bite attack.

The HD requirement was mostly so that a PC wouldn't get any larger than Huge unless they were epic. This increases their reach, but also their weapon and natural attack damage. Finally, some of the abilities are based on size, so it is a way of making sure that the Oni is well rounded.

As for the scattered abilities, that is unfortunate. If I've figured things right, the class would be two powerful if it got the abilities any more frequently. If I could find a way to split it up into more moderate abilities that would be ideal, but as of right now I don't know a good way to go about it. My hope is that they will take some interesting feats to kind of keep their attention going.

The War Hulk gets +2 str per level, which gives +1 to attack rolls. Your class gets an equivalent of +7 to attack rolls over the whole class, so at +17 it's worse off than a full BAB class. Also, War Hulks need +5 BAB just to get in. I would give your guy 3/4 BAB progression if that's what you're going for.

The HD requirement for size, why not just say that you can only take it twice, or base it on character level? Classes intended for PCs generally don't do things based on HD, they use level.

For the Gore Attack and Bite Attack, you need a little more crunch and fluff. I assume for Gore Attack that you grow a horn? And Bite Attack, your jaw gets bigger and/or teeth sharpen? They should be specified as secondary natural attacks (I assume that's what they are) and that you are proficient (silly I know, but people nitpick).

The Blackguard abilities are... subpar. There's no reason to take any Blackguard or Rage ability in this class, mechanically. You give 7 abilities, so the best choices are 2 size increases, the 3 swings, and bite and improved grab; gore and trample are good too, but definitely not blackguard stuff.

It's an interesting flavorful class, and if it works for your setting great, just trying to help you work out the crunch.

Prometheus
2007-12-12, 10:44 PM
The War Hulk gets +2 str per level, which gives +1 to attack rolls. Your class gets an equivalent of +7 to attack rolls over the whole class, so at +17 it's worse off than a full BAB class. Also, War Hulks need +5 BAB just to get in. I would give your guy 3/4 BAB progression if that's what you're going for.

The HD requirement for size, why not just say that you can only take it twice, or base it on character level? Classes intended for PCs generally don't do things based on HD, they use level.

For the Gore Attack and Bite Attack, you need a little more crunch and fluff. I assume for Gore Attack that you grow a horn? And Bite Attack, your jaw gets bigger and/or teeth sharpen? They should be specified as secondary natural attacks (I assume that's what they are) and that you are proficient (silly I know, but people nitpick).

The Blackguard abilities are... subpar. There's no reason to take any Blackguard or Rage ability in this class, mechanically. You give 7 abilities, so the best choices are 2 size increases, the 3 swings, and bite and improved grab; gore and trample are good too, but definitely not blackguard stuff.

It's an interesting flavorful class, and if it works for your setting great, just trying to help you work out the crunch.
Alright I made some changes:
-increase the BAB to 3/4
-clarified the HD rule
-added some fluff to the Gore and Bite
-added the phrase "proficient secondary"
-removed rage and smite good from Monstrous Wrath
-I gave it the blackguard fluff as a given
-added cause fear and spit copper from oriental adventures
-added "Accelerated Regeneration" for more fluff

What do you think now? Much better? Too powerful?

bluish_wolf
2007-12-13, 05:15 AM
I would imagine an oni race would make more sense than an oni class.

Actually, why don't you just use ogre: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/ogre.htm?

Prometheus
2007-12-13, 11:42 AM
The original idea was to have a setting where the characters gradually become powerful spirits. To slowly become a race wouldn't be nearly as furfilling.